Dolphins' 2025 offseason needs, ranked from highest to lowest priority

The Dolphins seem to have their center of the foreseeable future in Aaron Brewer, but the guard spots were a mess in 2024. Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg started almost the entire year at left and right guard, respectively, and the Dolphins’ offense suffered the consequences.

Pro Football Focus credited that duo with allowing 57 pressures (29 from Eichenberg and 28 from Jones). No other Dolphins player allowed more than 16.

But it was the run game that paid an even bigger price. After leading the NFL in yards per carry in 2023, the Dolphins finished 28th in 2024.

Bringing back a healthy and rehabbed Isaiah Wynn could potentially solidify one spot. Miami could also consider adding a right tackle and moving Austin Jackson inside to guard. But there’s a significant need for an infusion of talent in the middle of the line, regardless.

While Jevón Holland has been a constant at one of the Dolphins’ safety spots, it’s been a revolving door next to him. Eric Rowe and Brandon Jones were replaced by DeShon Elliott who was replaced by Jordan Poyer who now also needs replacing.

But Poyer, a 33-year-old impending free agent who didn’t do much for the Dolphins in 2024, isn’t the only one with an expiring contract.

Holland is set to become one of the NFL’s top free agents of the 2025 offseason and would be pricy to retain. For now, a pair of 2024 rookies, Patrick McMorris and Jordan Colbert, are the only Dolphins safeties under contract for the 2025 season.

Tyreek Hill ended a disappointing 2024 season by stirring up drama when he told reporters after a Week 18 loss that he was “opening the door” to leave the Dolphins in the offseason. While tensions have cooled and the two sides have had productive conversations, it doesn’t change the fact that the veteran wide receiver quit on his team in the final game of the season.

If the Dolphins part ways with Hill in the offseason, the receivers left on the roster for 2025 are Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Erik Ezukanma, Tahj Washington, and Tarik Black. While Miami can hope for big second year jumps from the pair of Washingtons, Waddle is the only player on that list to record even 300 receiving yards in a season.

Even if Hill is brought back, the team didn’t get nearly the same production out of the eight-time Pro Bowler that it did in 2022 and 2023.

After losing Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis in free agency last year, the Dolphins’ strategy to restock their defensive line was to sign several veterans to one-year deals and let them battle for roster spots. Calais Campbell, Benito Jones, Teair Tart, Jonathan Harris, Neville Gallimore, and Isaiah Mack were all added to the mix with Campbell and Jones eventually winning the starting roles.

It worked out pretty well for Miami, as Zach Sieler strengthened his growing case as the NFL’s most underrated player and Campbell continued to be an ageless goliath in his 17th season. While Jones wasn’t the most impactful nose tackle, the Dolphins were pretty stout against the run.

But now the Dolphins are once again left with Sieler and not much else on the defensive line.

In an ideal world, Miami would get Campbell back, but that’s no sure thing with the lineman set to turn 39 before the 2025 regular season begins. Even if he does, Sieler could use some long-term running mates up front.

It wasn’t a terrible year for the Dolphins secondary as a whole, as the team was No. 9 against the pass and allowed the sixth fewest touchdowns through the air. But it was an underwhelming year for many of the team’s cornerbacks, individually.

Jalen Ramsey missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie season and was credited with allowing a career-worst 70.8 percent of the passes thrown his way to be completed. Free agent acquisition Kendall Fuller was just okay in his time on the field, but dealt with two concussions and a knee injury that collectively kept him out six games.

It’s not all bad news, though.

Kader Kohou had his best season in coverage, holding opposing passers to a 76.0 rating when targeted. The Dolphins also found a hidden gem in undrafted rookie Storm Duck, who outplayed 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith, and started three games.

If Duck, Smith, and/or Ethan Bonner step up their play in 2025, the Dolphins’ cornerback corps could be in great shape. But Ramsey and Fuller will both be 30 when next season starts and investments at cornerback is never a bad idea.

No matter your opinion of Tua Tagovailoa, the reality is that he’ll be the Dolphins’ starter in 2025 and likely beyond.

But the backup quarterback job is very much up for grabs after it proved to be a disastrous spot on the roster in 2024. Tagovailoa missed six games due to injury and the trio of Skylar Thompson, Mike White, and Tyler Huntley couldn’t do enough to keep Miami on track.

Huntley got the most play time of that group and showed promising things in Week 17 before reverting into a turnover machine a week later. The Dolphins finished 2-4 in games without Tagovailoa.

There’s a chance Huntley, who is set to become a free agent in March, could be a reliable No. 2 option after a year studying Mike McDaniel’s offense. But the Dolphins will almost certainly hunt for competition at the position.

The Dolphins may already have their tackle duo of the future in 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul and 2020 first-rounder Austin Jackson.

The question now is whether Terron Armstead will be back at left tackle in 2025. The oft-injured five-time Pro Bowler has contemplated retirement in recent years and hasn’t yet committed to playing another NFL season. Veteran swing tackle Kendall Lamm may also be ready to hang up his cleats.

Regardless if one or both of the elder statesmen of the offensive line return, the Dolphins need depth all over the offensive line. It’s also possible that Miami could solve its aforementioned interior line woes by moving Jackson — a much better run blocker than pass blocker — inside and replacing him at right tackle.

Jordyn Brooks proved to be a great replacement for Jerome Baker, and even earned a few All-Pro votes. But 2023 standout David Long Jr.’s play tailed off in a major way and he was jettisoned in November.

While Anthony Walker Jr. struggled to do much better than Long in the starting lineup, Tyrel Dodson proved to be a stellar midseason addition for the Dolphins. The former Seahawks linebacker was scooped off waivers in November and spent most of his time in Miami backing up Walker, but excelled late in the year when asked to start.

Dodson, Walker, and Duke Riley are all set to become free agents in the offseason, and it Dodson seems like the most logical candidate to stick around. If he’s not the long-term running mate with Brooks, the Dolphins will need to identify someone else to fill the role in 2025.

Jonnu Smith was a revelation for the Dolphins, rewriting the team’s record books with a prolific first season in Miami. After two years of hardly using the tight end position in the pass game under McDaniel, the Dolphins got 88 receptions, 884 yards, and eight touchdowns out of Smith.

But the rest of the depth chart at tight end? Yikes.

Julian Hill, Durham Smythe, and Tanner Conner collectively had 24 receptions for 169 yards. Hill and Smythe — who combined for three drops, a fumble, and 12 penalties — were PFF’s two lowest graded players on the Dolphins offense.

While finding another tight end to contribute in the pass game along with Smith would be a plus, it’d help just to find a player or two who can clear space in the run game and make plays on special teams.

Rushing the passer was tough for the Dolphins in 2024, but the future is a little brighter for 2025 and beyond.

For one, Miami appears to have a rising star on its hands in Chop Robinson. The first-round pick was a terror in the latter half of his rookie year with 42 pressures in the last nine weeks, second in the NFL behind only the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons.

But Robinson was largely on his own with Bradley Chubb out for the entire year while rehabbing a significant knee injury, and Jaelan Phillips out for 13 games after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 4.

The Dolphins have a decision to make about Chubb’s contract, but if the veteran returns and looks like himself in 2025, Miami could have a terrifying trio of rushers off the edge. And if 2024 fifth-rounder Mohamed Kamara steps things up in year two after playing sparingly as a rookie, depth at the position could be strong.

But that’s a lot of ifs. It’d make sense to add a bit more depth and competition to the mix after finishing 27th in sacks.

What once looked like an embarrassment of riches at the running back position ended up being pretty mediocre in 2024. While De’Von Achane continued to show that he’s one of the most exciting and versatile young backs in the NFL, Raheem Mostert’s productivity came to a screeching halt.

The Dolphins can save $2.9 million by cutting Mostert this offseason and that feels close to a no-brainer after the 32-year-old back finished with 3.3 yards per carry.

That leaves 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright to take on a bigger role in 2025. After a pretty strong start to his rookie year, Wright disappeared late with only 59 yards on 32 carries after the start of November.

Still, the future seems pretty bright for Wright, and the Dolphins have a star in Achane. Adding another back wouldn’t be a surprise, but there’s not much reason for Miami to make a significant investment at the position.